Author: Rev. Charles Pugh

In today’s Blog article, I want to go back to one of the earlier themes I started when I first set up this Website. First, I was “Thinking Why?” (05-20-08), then I was “Thinking What?” (05-23-08); now, over two years later, I am “Thinking HOW?” How did our world get to where it is today? How do the things in my life fit into the bigger picture? How can we each play a part in turning things around and helping to avoid future tragedies? Today, I’m “Thinking How?”

Each of us thinks “How?” many times every day—sometimes with more energy or emotion than at other times: “How can I make it through another day?” “How will my plans turn out today?” “How am I going to be able to accomplish this goal?” Sometimes, it is less conscious than at other times: “How am I going to take a shower?” “How am I going to brush my teeth?” “How am I going to prepare this food to eat?” or even, “How am I going to drive this car?” (unless your car is struggling 😉 ). At other times, there is a conscious search for an actual way that will work to accomplish the desired goal: “How am I going to learn this material to be prepared for the test?” “How can this broken appliance or tool be fixed?” “How will it be possible to stop the continual flow of oil and gas spewing up from that ruptured pipe to the pressurized well a mile deep down on the ocean floor?!” Regardless of what task or activity you are talking about, there is always a “How?” to consider!

This brings me to a very clear point that we each much be honest to daily acknowledge: There are actual ways how things work and ways how they do not work. In fact, often “thinking how?” becomes a process of eliminating the ways that do not work. This is the reality that we live in and should not fight against. That is not to say that we should stop striving to find ways for things to work better. There are often many ways of how you can accomplish certain tasks, yet the various ways always lead to a more certain goal and less variable end. Different people do learn and do things in different ways. For example, there are different orders to setting up equipment, yet all has to be set up or even powered on and working properly so that all is in place for the activity or event to happen. How you get to the goal does matter, though, for some ways simply do not work and some ways even take you down a path that will waste time and energy or even cause other problems.

Spiritually, the same principles apply. There are many paths that we each are on. We are individual people with different backgrounds and different abilities, talents and gifts. We each are at various stages in understanding and experiencing life and building the skills for how things work to accomplish particular jobs. GOD was involved in your genetic makeup and HE has been involved in every step of your life. HE has allowed all things to be for HIS greater purposes. HE wants you to choose to acknowledge HIM in all of your ways. Consider the great Truth of Proverbs 3:5-6:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Friend, this is HOW all of your life will work better. It is what each of us needs most and what the Founders of America understood better than many do today. It is essentially the first lesson in what I list on this Website (see the “Top Ten Lessons” tabbed above) and detail more in my book, along with the other 9 that flow from it. We must learn HOW to first acknowledge and FEAR GOD in every decision we make, every job we work and every task we pursue. For us today, that begins by acknowledging GOD the Son—JESUS CHRIST—and how HE has accomplished the way for you to be at peace with GOD and even comforted by the GOD of peace. Read further on this website or get a copy of my book to learn more of HOW you can make it through any trial or tragedy and even learn to prevail!

Have you ever considered the importance and influence of LABELS? Do you realize that due to improper LABELS, multiple tragedies occur every single day in lives and situations all over the world? Whenever this is compounded and surrounding circumstances allow, the LABELS given to some individuals will push them toward some violent action that will only harm others. Do you understand what I am saying? Please think with me further…

Certainly, we all must have ways to identify and distinguish the many things in our lives. No doubt, you have some understanding of the importance of personal organization if you hope to avoid problems and function more efficiently. When dealing with similar things, it is quite helpful to LABEL them, so as to avoid misuse. Think of how confusing and harmful it would be to have various medicines UN-LABELED. What if the basic chemicals you use in cleaning or even cooking are not LABELED? You can imagine the problems and even the resulting tragedies when there are no LABELS or improperly LABELED products! What person in our technological and media driven age has not struggled at some point to use or even find 😉 a certain remote? When you do have the remote in your hand, you must find and understand the LABEL on each button to be able to use and most effectively use the equipment. Yes, LABELS are important and even necessary to help things function efficiently and to prevent unnecessary confusion and the problems certain to follow.

I trust you understand the obvious points I am making here. Think with me a bit further, as it relates to the way we “LABEL” every day, and how this psychologically impacts people. Yes, bad behavior should be LABELED as such, so that children and less mature adults can learn. Yet, what happens when people are improperly LABELED? Some may not care and mature adults will keep it in the proper perspective, yet most people really are impacted by the LABELS people around them give to them. Most often, it initially happens quickly and in a snapshot of time from the larger context of a life. It is indeed tragic when parents or adults in authority discourage children by improperly and “absolutely” LABELING them. It is also tragic when people in positions of authority where you work stoop to similar methods of improperly LABELING: “You’re just too stupid or ignorant to understand or handle this!” “You will NEVER do what you should!” “You ALWAYS mess things up!” The less mature the one LABELED is or unskillful in coping, the more damage the LABELING will bring.

A deeper issue this reveals is the particular prejudice one has in a given area. Which of us has all knowledge about everything and everyone? Yes, we can properly judge certain situations and can and should even judge certain behavior. Yet, we had best be very careful at how we judge and LABEL things, particularly people, who are always changing and growing. I know something of the impact of improper LABELS. I have been the recipient of numerous and poorly investigated LABELS by religious, psychological and legal authorities. It has brought about the tragedy in my life and family, yet it is what is allowing you to read this article, and many to be helped by the book I just published.

Friend, the spiritual reality is that we all are already LABELED—we are born separated from GOD and our choice to remain on a path of separation (sin) is what makes us CONDEMNED. Jesus said in John 3:18: “He who believes in Him [GOD] is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God [Jesus Christ].” It is only in your personally trusting GOD’s solution to this condemnation—the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as your substitute for sin’s punishment—that you can escape this condemnation, which leads to multiple tragedies in your life now and, upon your death, a most certain tragedy of eternal separation from GOD in an everlasting hell. Scripture teaches there is “no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1ff). When you are LABELED “not condemned” by GOD (part of what “justified” means), it will not really matter what LABEL other people give you, for all other person’s opinions are not omniscient or ultimately authoritative, as is the LORD GOD’s opinion. There is MUCH MORE GOOD for those who are LABELED “in Christ!” 😀

It is a shame that so often we are more interested in the “BUCK” than in the blessing that comes from living for GOD on this uniquely privileged planet in this vast and incredible Universe, created and sustained by our Awesome LORD Jesus Christ.  Sadly, a tragedy and travesty of living that most of us experience many times in our lives is in serving money, rather than really serving the Master (check out Luke 16:13).  It is precisely because I have not had many “bucks” (at least humanly speaking), that I have been so victimized in various aspects of our society and that my personal tragedy has continued.  I just received word of yet another legal example of this and my experiences over the past few days have led me to this particular theme in writing today—Please consider the role you should have as it relates to “passing the buck”!

While I could discuss the problems with succumbing to materialism, this is actually not my primary focus here.  No doubt, we all must regularly review our financial exchanges to ensure we are being the good stewards GOD requires of us; however, I am thinking of a deeper issue here.  Actually, it is our pocketbooks that often best reveal our priorities.  What might you see in your stewardship there?  Biblically speaking, we each will give an account to GOD for what we do in life, though this involves far more than how we spend our money.  Could it be that you are passing the buck on your responsibility there or might it be that you are using all that GOD has given you to pass your bucks to help others?

Do you understand what I am saying here?  When it comes to money, you will either use your money to help people or you will use people to help you gain more money.  The real issues are deeper than the exchanges of money.  The fact is that we have an obligation to always be helping others with all that GOD has given us.  This includes our time, our talents and any tokens we collect.  Is that the attitude that you have or could it be that you have fallen under the spell of materialism and perhaps even hedonism?  Life is about far more than personal pleasure and gain.  It is our “right” to pursue happiness, but reality shows us (and the Bible teaches us) that joy is far greater than mere moments of happiness and it comes with eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11).

So far as my personal tragedy, inextricably linked to the atmosphere in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech tragedy, it is precisely this “not my business” (see my 06-16-09 Blog, “Mind Your Own Business!”) or “passing the buck” philosophy that has kept me separated from my family, perpetuating and even compounding the tragedy in my life.  I have found this to be a problem within the medical community, the legal community and more sadly, even in the religious community.  It is not without greater purpose, for GOD continues to teach me so much and I now have a book published (see the link on this website) to help share my story and what I have been learning.  Personally, I am even selling this 416 page book (not planned to be that length 😉 ) “for $16” (far less than the retail value) to help people remember the world changing event that happened on 04-16-07 and come to see what I understand that we all need to be learning.

Next to loving GOD above all, it is loving and serving others that GOD requires (2 of my “Top Ten Lessons To Learn”).  This means we must fight against the natural selfish tendency to “pass the buck” of responsibility to others and instead step up to proper action—helping others become prosperous.  This may seem out of touch with society or perhaps even radical, but it is right and it will revolutionize your entire life.  More people doing this for Seung-Hui Cho would have even thwarted the VT Tragedy.

So, keep passing the buck and watch the tragedies around us continue and compound or instead learn to pass your bucks (and time and talents) to help others prosper.

I trust you ACCEPT this article as an EXCEPTion to the “rules” of English. J  The title is actually tied to one of the multifaceted points I’m making here.  This subject strikes at the heart of every problem you face and every tragedy that happens.  If you understand what I am saying, you will be more prepared for life than the thousands of new graduates that have just been thrust into the workforce of society.  😉  A proper understanding will help you overcome, no matter what you face.  Failing to get this right will only lead to more trouble.

What will you ACCEPT or might you just . . . EXCEPT?  Still confused?  Please think further with me.  Problems come when we exchange truth for lies (no matter how insignificant it seems).  Starting this exchange leads us to ACCEPT other things that we should reject and keeps us from learning what we should.  Additionally, when problems do come, excuses are often made and blame is shifted to other people and/or things: “I would do that to try to help, EXCEPT it wouldn’t make a difference”; “That’s really none of my business” (note my 06-16-09 Blog “Mind Your Own Business!”); and “There’s nothing I can do, since that’s just the way it is”; or “That’s not my fault, nor my responsibility.”  When thinking like this, lies are perpetuated.  Problems then remain unsolved and continue to multiply until tragedy results or we come to ACCEPT the truth and respond to that reality.  A closer look into the events leading to the recent oil rig explosion and ensuing and ongoing disaster in the Gulf of Mexico glaringly illustrates what I’m saying.

We know this works in the natural world, yet it similarly works in the spiritual world.  Sadly, many people choose to ignore or even worse reject spiritual truth.  Actually, the spiritual reality is inextricably tied to the natural reality.  Since we naturally live by sight, it is often even easier to ACCEPT lies about the spiritual world.  Whether spiritually or naturally, if you want to learn what you should and hope to overcome whatever obstacles you face, you must first ACCEPT the truth (spiritual and natural), then respond to it without EXCEPTion.

The Bible book of Romans often addresses this and speaks directly to the exchange of truth with lies and even The lie.  Consider Romans 1:22-25 to illustrate what I am saying:

“Professing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

The lie here is that only naturalism (essentially, evolution) is true.  If you ACCEPT this ultimate lie, you will come to depend upon your own reasoning alone or else the ever changing opinions of others.  Your life will then become filled with excuses and EXCEPTions.  There is only One EXCEPTion to this natural rule. 😉  You must ACCEPT GOD as The Father of Creation and understand you do not meet His standard of holiness and perfection.  You must then ACCEPT His written revelation (the Bible or Covenants) and come to ACCEPT the Person and work of JESUS CHRIST (death, burial and resurrection) to pay the penalty for your choosing to sin.

Please, come to ACCEPT the truth—both the spiritual and natural.  You will then learn to overcome and prevail, both naturally and spiritually.  Failure to do so will lead to a life of excuses or EXCEPTion and many unresolved problems and an ultimately tragic eternity!

In a world that seems to be spinning faster and faster, it is even more important that you put forth a regular effort to Be Still.  It is so easy to get caught up in the many circles of activity in life.  It is part of how GOD has enabled us to survive and what makes us all adaptable to the changes around us.  Change is unavoidable, and can even keep you so busy that you fail to Be Still and think.  When facing a tragedy, such as 09-11-01 or 04-16-07, you will be tested to your core.  You will be forced to initially respond, though as time moves forward you will have at least moments of reflection and less activity.  Facing some natural disaster, such as those recent tornadoes whirling through Arkansas, the flooding rains pummeling Tennessee, or even the environmental effects of the oil rig explosion and spill in the Gulf of Mexico, can actually make it harder to Be Still.  Tragedy and disaster forces us to respond to the changing conditions around us.  So, how is it possible to Be Still and what does this really mean?

For us human beings, just as death does not mean a cessation of life, so being still does not mean a cessation of activity.  We are multidimensional beings—made up of the material and the immaterial.  This understanding is essential to learn what I am saying here and what it really means to Be Still.  Certainly, there are times each day where we are forced to be still physically.  The body simply cannot sustain a perpetual time of activity.  We are created to need times of sleep for recharging and further activity.  Physical stillness is important and is a necessary aspect of training children, as well as any training for personal discipline.  The more important stillness however, involves that inner, spiritual stillness that by means of how we are made, necessarily impacts the physical.

Psalm 46:10 is perhaps the most familiar verse of Scripture addressing this:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

The idea in this entire Psalm is that no matter what one is facing—be it natural disasters or man-made trouble and wars—that the LORD GOD will be with those who are trusting Him.  The thing we must do is to Be Still—to relax and simply trust Him.  This means being still in our spirit.  It does not mean that we cease to think or are necessarily physically inactive.  We simply need to stop trying to resist or fight against GOD, Who is the Greatest Power.  We can choose to exalt Him as GOD in our lives now, or we will find ourselves doing so with certain eternal consequence in the future.

When you stop depending upon yourself or upon others (we all are fallen and fallible human beings) you will then be free to depend upon GOD and cease from any anxiety.  Life may be filled with trouble and even tears, but you can Be Still internally in your spirit and properly face whatever happens.  You can know the Joy that comes from personally walking with your Creator.  When you are still in your spirit, you will be acknowledging GOD no matter how busy in physical activity you may be.  In fact, it will also keep you from becoming too busy.

To acknowledge GOD is to accept Him as the Creator and first trust in what He—in the Person of Jesus Christ—did to make forgiveness possible.  It is then choosing to trust Him in your daily life and know that He promises to be with you and work all things (good and bad) together for your ultimate good and His Glory.  This is how I have survived through all of my personal tragedy and even thrived, as illustrated in my book.  Please learn to Be Still!